in these modern times of motorized vehicles and cyberspace
it doesn’t seem there is strife or conflict
but in actuality there’s always a battle being fought
there still lies a dragon that threatens our humanity

some may think that we live in a time of tranquility and peace.
but the battle between man and beast constantly arises
for sometimes we get lost and lose our way
we lose ourselves and become shells of our former selves

when we lose sight of what’s to come
all we see is the shadow of a beast from the darkness within
and we watch it grow and feed on our own fears and despair
sometimes it seems utterly hopeless to live on

but when there’s darkness in your heart
there’s an extraordinary opportunity for the light to burn brighter
for we’re our own dragons as well as our own heroes
so we have to rescue ourselves from ourselves

no matter what there are always dragons lurking about
and therefore there are still heroes in this world
thus there are always stories to be written
to be written and told

sometimes we get lost in this thing called life
we forget where we’re going
and worst of all, where we have already been
this is when history repeats…
past successes, as well as past mistakes

we slowly wander off course
and stray away from the destination
losing sight of what was before us
heading down head first
into an inevitable crash

when you’re lost, you become unsure of yourself
and each decision is second guessed
not only by yourself, but by others around you…
it was so hard to gain their trust
but so easy to lose it

your own confidence withers away
easily seen in the day-to-day tasks you were skilled at
for everyone gets weak when they hesitate
your own perseverance to carry on seems to have disappeared
leaving doubt and anxiety towards the future

who do you trust if you can’t trust yourself
who do you follow if there’s no one to follow
what do you believe in if everything seems like a lie
what do you do when you’re lost
what do you do…

what I really crave is to eat really tastiest cookies
so I spend the afternoon getting the perfect recipe
and after a fashion I have the recipe
and to the kitchen I go to bake
making the dough as instructed
some flour, butter, eggs and sugar
also baking soda, salt and vanilla extract
and of course: chocolate chips
mixed all together and now into the oven
finally the kitchen timer rings done
and I take out my hard earned work
only to taste disappoint
my expectations far from met
and I’m left with ordinary chocolate chip cookies
what went wrong?
is this my just deserts?

I’ve been down this road sometime ago
this sudden rush of adrenaline, I’ve felt it before
it only seems like yesterday
like a syringe injecting ecstasy through my veins
starting with laughter from down the hall
then seeing a smile on what seems like a mirror
a finally eyes meeting…
…our eyes meeting like the opposite ends of two magnets
a jolt of emotion revitalizing the body
this feeling of belonging once again
igniting my very spirit with vigor
like a tender kiss onto my heart
as I walk further a fork appears with two options:
one side leads further down the rabbit hole
and the other one far far away through the fog
I move to make my choice
but my memory violently holds me back
and I remember what awaited last time I walked deeper…
like a balancing act with the good also comes the bad
and so with the euphoria there is an encroaching dysphoria
as an empty darkness that slowly clutches my soul
starts with clouds of doubt hovering overhead
then shivers of fear down my core
just powerlessly paralyzed from head to toe
with tears of disappoint blocking my sight
all these reminders coming from the painful scars…
…the scars that sharply sting of regret on my heart
I’ve been down a road like this sometime ago
with a crossroad with similar choices
I want to believe history won’t repeat if I go further…
…but maybe I shouldn’t risk the déjà vu and walk away

There exists a world so small
That it can be held in your hands
Where it rests peacefully and simple
As it’s protected from complexities of life
You can’t help but stare at it
Mesmerized in awe and wonder
And with a shake of the wrist
Everything has changed
Memories of familiar times surge
Cherished times in familiar places
With a mere instant
Dreams and memories collide